Penrose wins Healthgrades award for women’s medicine

Penrose-St. Francis Health Services is among the top 5 percent in the nation for excellence in women’s healthcare, according to a new study by Healthgrades.

The study evaluated 16 women’s medicine, cardiovascular, and bone and joint health treatments during 2008, 2009 and 2010, using data from the federal Medicare program. It’s the only hospital in the state to win the award for four years in a row.

Penrose and 175 other hospitals across the nation were identified as top performers, receiving the 2012 Healthgrades’ Women’s Health Excellence Award.

“We have taken a very specific approach in caring for the unique health needs of women,” said Christine Freeman, regional director of women’s health services. “For example, we recently opened the Women’s Center at Penrose Pavilion. This new center offers women a variety of services including Women’s Imaging, the Breast Care Center and the Penrose Vein Center, among others. The environment of the center was designed to provide a safe and comforting feeling so that women feel more at ease and comfortable.

Participation in the study was not voluntary; all 4,783 of the nation’s acute care hospitals were evaluated by Healthgrades as part of its report.

Women’s mortality rates at the winning hospitals were 42 percent lower than the poorest performers on the list, and complication rates were 14 percent lower.

“In our study, Healthgrades noted the rate of surgical intervention for women suffering a heart attack has increased over the years. This is good news, especially for patients who choose care at hospitals that are top performers in women’s healthcare,” said Divya Cantor, Healthgrades senior physician consultant and author of the study. “Our goal is to provide current, independent data on clinical outcomes to help prospective patients make informed decisions about their providers while also identifying hospitals that are setting national benchmarks to which other hospitals can aspire.”